These perfectly portioned Mini White Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecakes are the most delicious and adorable easy Christmas dessert of them all! These bite-sized handheld treats are perfect for a party and faster and simpler to make than a full cheesecake. Plus no water bath needed!
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With real white chocolate swirled into the creamy cheesecake batter, plenty of peppermint chunks throughout, and a rich dark chocolate ganache topping and whipped cream swirl, these mini peppermint bark cheesecakes are guaranteed to be a hit at your next holiday party!
Skip store-bought cupcakes and show up with a plate of mini white chocolate peppermint cheesecakes at the holiday office party or neighborhood gift exchange and prepare to receive compliments galore and requests for this recipe.
If you have ever worried that making cheesecake is too hard, this is the perfect first step toward becoming a cheesecake master! They bake in a fraction of the time, use half the amount of cream cheese of a full cheesecake, and you don’t need to worry about sinking on the top or cracks because the ganache and whipped cream topping will cover any faults!
For more festive peppermint desserts, be sure to try our viral Chocolate Peppermint Lasagna, Peppermint Oreo Cookies, Frosted Peppermint Brownies, or Chocolate Peppermint Blossoms!
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Oreos – These are for the crust. If you use gluten-free Oreos, this would be a naturally gluten-free dessert!
- Cream cheese – You need full-fat brick-style cream cheese, not the spreadable kind that comes in a tub.
- Eggs – These help give cheesecake it’s signature texture and richness. Without them, the cheesecake would be crumbly.
- Sugar – Some granulated sugar perfectly sweetens the cheesecake filling and the powdered sugar is for the whipped cream topping.
- Dark chocolate – You can chop up some dark chocolate or use semisweet chocolate chips for the chocolate ganache topping.
- White chocolate – This is melted and added right to the cheesecake batter. You can chop up a Ghiradelli white chocolate baking bar for the smoothest melting, or use good quality white chocolate chips.
- Sour cream – I love adding this to my cheesecake batter for a nice tang and smoothness.
- Andes peppermint crunch pieces – I always buy a couple of bags of the Andes peppermint crunch baking bits when I see them in the stores because they are usually only available around the November and December holidays. I like them much better than crushed candy canes for the base of this cheesecake.
- Vanilla & peppermint extracts – These flavor the cheesecake with just the right amount of peppermint & vanilla, which is one of the most perfect combos ever.
- Salted butter – For holding the Oreo crust together and giving it a rich, buttery taste.
- Crushed peppermint candies – You could crush some candy canes for sprinkling on top if you like things extra crunchy, or use the container of peppermint crunch sprinkles from the store for a softer crunch.
How to Make Mini Peppermint Cheesecakes
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare a 12 count cupcake pan with cupcake liners. Set aside.
- Make the Oreo crust. Combine the finely crushed Oreo crumbs and melted butter in a medium bowl. Mix until evenly moistened, then spoon some of the crust mixture into each cupcake liner. Press firmly into an even layer.
- Set. Bake for 5 minutes to set the crust. Allow to cool while making the filling.
- Make the cheesecake filling. In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add sour cream, vanilla, peppermint extract, and melted white chocolate. Mix until completely combined. Add the eggs and mix just until combined.
- Add Andes peppermint crunch. Stir in the chopped Andes peppermint crunch pieces by hand until evenly dispersed through the cheesecake batter. Evenly distribute the cheesecake filling between the cupcake liners until filled pretty much to the top.
- Bake. Transfer the muffin pan to the preheated oven and bake the mini cheesecakes for 15-20 minutes, or until the centers are still slightly jiggly and not cracked.
- Cool. Remove from the oven and allow to cool at room temperature. Move to the fridge and let them chill for at least 2 hours.
- Make ganache. Heat ½ cup of the the heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl for 60 seconds until very hot. Pour over the chopped chocolate and let it sit for 5 minutes without stirring. Then stir until the chocolate is melted and you have a smooth, shiny ganache. Let cool to thicken a bit before spooning or pouring over each mini cheesecake. Refrigerate until firm.
- Make whipped cream. In a large mixing bowl, mix the remaining cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract on high speed until stiff peaks form. Transfer to a piping bag and pipe onto each cheesecake. Sprinkle each cheesecake with crushed peppermint candy.
Recipe FAQ’s
If you can’t find these pieces, you could use chopped Hershey’s candy cane Kisses, which have a very similar taste, or buy a couple boxes of Andes peppermint crunch candies and unwrap and chop them yourself. You could also use candy canes or crushed starlight mints instead, or turn this into a mini Andes Mint cheesecakes with regular Andes Mint pieces.
If you have a mini cheesecake pan with removable bottoms to help push the mini cheesecakes out, then yes, you can make these without cupcake liners. I don’t recommend making them in a muffin pan without cupcake liners though because they won’t come out as cleanly.
Tips for Success
- Decorate just before serving. The peppermint crunch sprinkles on top of the whipped cream tend to start to melt so I recommend waiting to decorate these until shortly before you are about to serve them. If I’m taking them to a party, I just bring the sprinkles and add them before setting them out for others to enjoy.
- Chill thoroughly. If you try adding the melted chocolate ganache or whipped cream before the cheesecakes have had a chance to cool and chill all the way, things will get messy for sure. Let the ganache cool and set up all the way before piping the whipped cream on top.
- Unwrap before serving. To make things easy for guests, I like to unwrap these mini cheesecakes before hand. It also makes it easier to see the speckled peppermint pieces throughout the cheesecakes for a pretty presentation.
How to Store Mini Cheesecakes
Keep the mini cheesecakes refrigerated until shortly before serving. It’s okay if they sit out for an hour or two, but beyond that they should be refrigerated for up to 5 days.
You can also freeze the mini cheesecakes in an airtight container for up to 2 months. If I know I will be freezing them, I like to wait to top them with whipped cream until I’m ready to serve. Let the mini cheesecakes thaw overnight in the fridge, then pull them out and let them come to room temperature for 30-60 minutes before serving.
More Christmas Cheesecake Recipes
- Black Forest Cheesecake
- Easy Chocolate Cheesecake Truffles
- Cheesecake Jars
- Peppermint Bark Cheesecake
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
Mini White Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecakes
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 1/2 cups crushed Oreo crumbs
- 3 Tablespoons salted butter, melted
Filling
- 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup sour cream or greek yogurt
- 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup chopped Andes peppermint crunch or mint candy cane Kisses
Topping
- 1 cup finely chopped dark chocolate or semisweet chocolate chips
- 2 1/2 cups heavy cream, divided
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Crushed peppermint candies
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a 12 count cupcake pan with cupcake liners. Set aside.
Crust
- Combine oreo crumbs and melted butter in a bowl until evenly moistened. Divide the crumb mixture evenly between each cupcake liner and press firmly into an even layer. Bake for 5 minutes to set the crust. Set aside to cool while making the filling.
Filling
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Add sour cream, vanilla, peppermint extract, and melted white chocolate. Mix until completely combined, stopping to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. Add the eggs and mix just until combined. Fold in the Andes peppermint crunch.
- Divide the cheesecake filling between the cupcake liners, filling them all the way to the top.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until set around the edges but the centers are still slightly jiggly and not cracked.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool at room temperature. Transfer the mini cheesecakes to the fridge and let them chill for at least 2 hours.
Topping
- Heat ½ cup of the heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl for 60 seconds until very hot. Pour over the chopped chocolate or chocolate chips and let it sit for 5 minutes without stirring. Then stir until the chocolate is melted and you have a smooth, shiny ganache. Let cool for 10 minutes until thickened slightly. Spread an even layer on top of each cheesecake.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the remaining 2 cups of heavy whipping cream with the powdered sugar and vanilla extract on high speed until stiff peaks form. Transfer whipped cream to a piping bag and pipe onto each cheesecake. Top each cheesecake with crushed peppermint candy.
Notes
- Storage: Keep the mini cheesecakes refrigerated until shortly before serving. It’s okay if they sit out for an hour or two, but beyond that they should be refrigerated for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: You can also freeze the mini cheesecakes in an airtight container for up to 2 months. If I know I will be freezing them, I like to wait to top them with whipped cream until I’m ready to serve. Let the mini cheesecakes thaw overnight in the fridge, then pull them out and let them come to room temperature for 30-60 minutes before serving.
- Substitutions: If you can’t find these pieces, you could use chopped Hershey’s candy cane Kisses, which have a very similar taste, or buy a couple boxes of Andes peppermint crunch candies and unwrap and chop them yourself. You could also use candy canes or crushed starlight mints instead, or turn this into a mini Andes Mint cheesecakes with regular Andes Mint pieces.
Hi Amy,
The recipe calls for 2 1/2 cups heavy cream, divided but does not indicate how it is divided. How much cream is for the ganache and how much for the topping? Did I miss that?
Donna
Thank you for catching that! It’s 1/2 cup of cream for the ganache and the remaining 2 cups for the whipped cream. I fixed the recipe card to reflect that.